By Dorrothy Moyo | The government spokesperson, Mr. Nick Mangwana, found himself trapped in an embarrassing situation that sent shockwaves through the nation. His exact words, which he and his boss, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, had been using for over 40 years, from 1983 to 2023, were suddenly exposed in a police report concerning the abduction of CCC party MP Takudzwa Ngadziore.

It was a crisp morning when the news broke that these phrases, synonymous with denial and deflection, had resurfaced in a most unexpected context. As the nation demanded answers about the disappearance of MP Takudzwa, the police claimed ignorance, stating they had only seen the case on social media. But what caught everyone’s attention was the uncanny resemblance between Mr. Mangwana’s statements and those of President Mnangagwa during critical moments in the country’s history.

In 1983, during the Gukurahundi massacre, Mr. Mnangagwa had said, “I’ve never heard of that… except reading of it in the press,” a phrase etched into the nation’s memory. Now, as the spotlight fell on MP Takudzwa’s abduction, Mr. Mangwana had seemingly echoed the same words. It was as if history was repeating itself, and the public was quick to draw parallels.

The déjà vu continued in 2019 during a crackdown condemned by UN experts. Mr. Mnangagwa’s statement, “We see all this on social media, but we’d want to see evidence,” was hauntingly familiar when, once again, Mr. Mangwana employed an almost identical phrase to respond to the public outcry.

The nation was left bewildered, their skepticism growing stronger as the spokesperson’s language seemed to mirror that of his boss, creating an uncanny pattern of denial and deflection. The credibility of their responses was under scrutiny, and the pressure on both Mr. Mangwana and President Mnangagwa to address the situation was intensifying.

As the nation awaited answers, they couldn’t help but wonder whether history was repeating itself, or if there was a deeper connection between Mr. Mangwana’s words and the actions of the government. The truth was elusive, but the people’s demand for transparency had never been stronger.

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